Two athletes from the 1970s, a 38-year coach, and a football team will be inducted into the Cambridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Thursday, September 5, 2024, and introduced to the public prior to the Cambridge versus Meadowbrook football game on Friday, September 6, 2024. 

Leonard Crawford and Rick Lilienthal were both members of the Bobcat football team in the late 1960s and early 1970s with Crawford graduating in 1971 and Lilienthal in 1972. Crawford also ran track while Lilienthal was a standout basketball player as well. 

Charlie Fondale came to Cambridge in 1971 having been a standout athlete at New Lexington  High School and at Capital University. In addition to teaching physical education, Fondale coached various sports during his 38-year career making his mark as the girls’ track and field coach. 

The 2004 Bobcat football team was the first Cambridge football team to qualify for the state playoffs. 

At a diminutive 5-8, 150 pounds, Leonard Crawford is arguably one of the best football players “pound for pound” in Cambridge High School history. 

Crawford, a running back and defensive back on the roster, was tabbed “Mr. Everything” by then Daily Jeffersonian Sports Editor Glenn McCasland because of his contributions on the field and his attitude off the field. 

During his senior season in the fall of 1970, Crawford set the school rushing record with 1,104 yards, caught 19 passes for 290 yards, and scored 70 points, not to mention intercepting eight passes and making more than his share of tackles on defense. 

His efforts helped lead the Bobcats to a 7-3 record which included a 34-27 win over Zanesville, the first time since 1952 that Cambridge beat the Blue Devils.

Following the season, Crawford was selected to the United Press International (UPI) AAA All-Ohio First team during a time when there were only three divisions in Ohio High School football. He was also named first team All- Eastern District and was the first ever recipient of the H.B. Lilienthal Memorial Trophy that goes to the football team’s most outstanding player. 

Crawford was a three-year letter winner, was voted as team captain by his teammates and was named an alternate for the North-South All-Star game. 

Crawford was also a four-year letter winner in track and field consistently winning the 100-, and 200-yard dashes and anchoring the half-mile relay team. He also participated in the long jump. 

He attended and played football at Centerville Junior College in Centerville, IA and won a Junior College National Championship as a member of the football team. 

Crawford currently resides in Pickerington, Ohio. He has a son, Tony, and four grandchildren. He has two deceased sons Leonard Crawford III and Shane McCuen.

Rick Lilienthal, a 1972 CHS graduate, was a versatile athlete for the Bobcats leading both the football and basketball teams to success. Lilienthal follows his father, Bob Lilienthal, a 2017 inductee, into the Hall of Fame. 

As the starting quarterback his junior and senior seasons, Lilienthal led the Bobcats to a 15-5 overall all record (7-3 and 8-2), including back-to-back wins over rival Zanesville. The 34-27 victory in 1970 being the first victory over the Blue Devils since his father’s team defeated them in 1952. 

During his junior year, Lilienthal passed for 1,116 yards and was responsible for 70 Cambridge points as he was named second team All-District. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark again his senior year and added 250-plus yards on the ground. His accomplishments earned him All-Ohio AAA Special Mention honors. He was a three-year letter winner in football. 

In basketball, Lilienthal was part of a team that went 31-11 in two seasons (15-7 in 1971 and 16-4 in 1972). Lilienthal scored 372 career points, tallying 255 of those in his senior year when he averaged 12.8 points per game. 

He had a particularly memorable game in February of 1972 when he scored 24 points against Steubenville in the Bobcats’ 700^th career win. Lilienthal earned AAA Honorable Mention honors following his senior basketball season. 

Lilienthal continued his athletic career on the Ohio University football team where he once again demonstrated his versatility playing receiver, tight end, and quarterback during his collegiate career. 

As a freshman, Lilienthal caught 10 passes for 117 yards (third on the team in receptions and fourth in yards). As a sophomore, he was the second leading receiver with 20 receptions and 285 yards to go with a pair of touchdowns. 

After moving to tight end for his junior campaign, he again led the Ohio receiving corps with 22 receptions for 315 yards and a touchdown. His senior year, Lilienthal switched to quarterback where he completed 87 passes for 1,045 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 180 times for 208 yards and four touchdowns. 

Despite invitations to try out for professional football teams in the United States and Canada, Lilienthal hung up his cleats and returned to his hometown to work for the family business. 

Rick and his wife, Marianne, still live in Cambridge. Together they have two sons, Tony and Andrew, both Cambridge graduates, five grandchildren, and a great grandchild. 

Charlie Fondale came to Cambridge in 1971 after making a name for himself as a four-year letter winner on the Capital University football team where he was a member of the Crusader’s 1970 Division II National Championship team. 

As a high school student with the nickname “Meatball,” Fondale was a member of the 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967 Muskingum Valley League track and field championship teams and was All-MVL as a shot putter his junior and senior years winning the league championship his junior year.

Fondale also lettered three years in football and helped lead the Ceramics to a 23-5-1 record during those years including a 10-0 MVL Championship season in 1964. 

During his senior season, Fondale led the MVL with 1,072 rushing yards. He scored 66 points. For his career, Fondale rushed for more than 2,000 yards and was named first team All-MVL as a fullback, second team All-MVL as a linebacker and was named honorable mention All-Ohio. 

At Cambridge, Fondale coached football, track, cross country, basketball, and volleyball. He also spent time as the assistant athletic director and ticket manager. 

As head girls’ track and field coach, his teams won six league or conference championships and earned a district championship and a district runner-up title. Fondale coached nine all-Ohioans including a pair of State Champions. 

He was also instrumental in securing the first all-weather track surface at McFarland Stadium, and funding for several improvements at the current track. It is documented that during his tenure at Cambridge, Fondale raised more than a half of million dollars to offset the cost of equipment and other needs for the various sports he coached. 

Fondale was also active in the Eastern District Track and Cross Country Coaches Association serving as treasurer for many years and was presented the organization’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012. He was a track and cross country official for 40 years officiating four state track meets. In 2010, he received the Contributor Award from the Ohio High School Athletic Association Track and Field Officials Association. 

Upon his retirement in 2009, Fondale established the Charlie Fondale Girls Track Scholarship to be awarded each year to a female track athlete. 

He was a 40-plus year member of the Cambridge Athletic Booster Club and served as club president. He was present at many Bobcats athletic events even in retirement. He passion in life was serving others and fundraising for multiple sports teams and service projects.

He was inducted into the New Lexington High School Athletic Hall of Fame (2015) and the Eastern District Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2017).

Fondale passed away at the age of 72 on July 9, 2021. He was married to his wife Margaret (the 1966 NLHS Homecoming Queen) for 51 years. They had three children, Todd, Shannon, and Kevin.

 

The 2004 Cambridge High School football team was the first Bobcat football team to qualify for the state playoffs. 

The team qualified for the Ohio Division III, Region 11 football playoffs, finishing the regular season with an 8-1 record that was highlighted by a 28-27 overtime victory over Dover and a 42-14 win over Guernsey County rival Meadowbrook. The only blemish on the regular season schedule was a close 16-14 loss to New Philadelphia. 

The 2004 team, coached by Rich “Goody” Goodrich, “epitomized the meaning of toughness and hard work,” said nominator David Evancho whose two brothers played on the team. “They ran a style of offense that we now know as ‘Goody-ball.’ The offensive line and running game are what this team relied on and is what ultimately lead them to the school’s first postseason appearance.” 

The 2004 team was the first of three consecutive Bobcat teams that qualified for the playoffs. 

Team members included Kenny Adams, Kenny, Anderson, Kyle Barthelmes, Cory Black, Justin Britnell, Ricardo Burks, Eric Burlingame, Adam Byers, Jeremy Carter, Phillip Choma, Aaron Coulter, Seth Cowgill, Mike Daugherty, Vince Daugherty, George Delancey, Jess East, Keven Edwards, Mitchell Endsley, Stephen Evancho, Michael Evancho, Darren Fields, Jared Ford, Stephen Ford, Ben Fowler, Kyle Gardner, Mike Golden, Dale Gotschall, Thomas Hall, Cory Harbin, Steve Hazinakis, Bo Hill, Bear Holdren, Bubba Johnson, Johnny Jones, Ryan Kafury, Josh Kennedy, Doug Lanzer, JR Larrick, Zach Lewis, Hank Lilienthal, Brian Long, Jordan Lowery, Jamaal Lowery, Matt Lyons, Michael Lyons, Sean Mahley, Cory Miller, Trent Mosser, Brian Nicholson, John Nicolozakes, Eric Phillips, Jed Price, Dustin Rose, Bobby Scurlock, Daniel Seckel, Jake Tharp, Kirk Wetherall, Jordan Williams, Robert Wilson, Price Winston, Wesley Yniguez. 

Team managers included Bradley Green, Jakkar Wilson, and Adam Eldredge. Coaches were Rick Goodrich (head coach), Jim Echard, Scott Eldredge, Bob Mascolino, Kevin Gunn, Matt Johnson, and Devin Nichols. 

All Hall of Fame inductees, including members of the 2004 football team are invited to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at the Cambridge High School Cafeteria. Please reserve your spot by calling the Cambridge Athletic Department at 740-435-1130.

The public is invited to attend as well. Tickets can be reserved by calling the same number or purchased by stopping by the High School office between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 per person. 

All inductees will be introduced to the public prior to the Cambridge versus Meadowbrook football game on Friday, September 6, 2024.